Julius Caesar Rhetorical Analysis

In Act 1, we learn that Brutus respect Caesar and Caesar respects Brutus. Making this an easy target for Cassius to use Brutus to join the conspirators to kill Caesar. Brutus is loyal to Caesar but we know that Brutus will do anything to keep the people of Rome happy. He was willing to betray his friend in order to save the people of Rome. Although Brutus was assuming that Caesar would betray all his friends because he’s stronger than them; he is at war between betraying Caesar or betraying the people of Rome. Either way Brutus has to pick one and obviously from the context of his soliloquy, readers can tell that Brutus truly honors the citizens. Therefore he ends up betraying his friend (that trust him) and joins the conspirator. Another example

Throughout the play Julius Caesar Antony, Caesar’s loyal servant, has become a bigger and bigger factor in the play. He really breaks out in Act III. In Act III, Brutus and others have killed Caesar, but yet leaves Antony unharmed because he seems harmless. Antony wants to show the public Caesar’s body and say a funeral speech. Brutus, trusting Antony, allows him to do so, but under some certain terms. Antony must speak good of the conspirators and not blame them. Antony uses logos and ethos, irony, and finally establishes ethos to turn the crowd away from Brutus.

“It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” -Mark Twain. Brutus would of never believed that he has been manipulated into his actions. Brutus was always blinded at the fact that his actions towards people were wrong. Brutus was one of Caesar's good and trusted friends. Cassius, not a huge fan of Caesar, did not like the idea of Caesar as king, for his weaknesses and had a plan to assassinate Caesar. As the leader, he believed Brutus would be a good member for the group for being respected and well-liked by the citizens of Rome. Cassius was able to manipulate him into joining the conspirators. After the assassination of Caesar all his respect from the citizens started to fade away. Antony, a very good friend of Caesar, was able to turn Rome against Brutus. Due to all the hatred from the citizens, he had to flee town and fight a war against Antony and Rome. After losing the war, his wife , and everything he once had, he committed suicide to avoid being killed by an enemy. In William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, Brutus tragic flaw of being gullible and patriotic caused him to murder a devoted friend and betrayed Rome's trust.

Cassius’ reasoning was based on nothing but envy, he only believed that Caesar would not be good enough as a ruler of the Roman Empire. “Ye gods, it doth amaze me a man of such a feeble temper should so get the start of the majestic world and bear the palm alone.” (I,ii,128-31). Here Cassius reveals that he believes that Caesar simply is not intelligent enough to rule Rome, not so much that he is going to do bad things. After Cassius saves Caesar from drowning in the water, he begins to believe that he is also stronger than Caesar and believes he should be recognized for being a stronger man than Caesar. Leadership was not always about who was stronger, it was equally important to be able to lead people. Brutus is not perfect either, he is not very bright. As an Idealist he doesn't think about the consequences of his actions and how they can affect him in the future. Cassius proposed that all members of the conspiracy should be sworn to an oath of secrecy, but brutus thinks that all the men are as noble as himself and that none of them will give away the plans. As it ultimately turns out one man betrays the group and Caesar finds

    The people of Rome, although highly gullible and indecisive, love Brutus. Some reasons for this are his nobility, honorability, intelligence and his caring nature.  Cassius thinks that Brutus is noble, he states this in his soliloquy when he says “Well, Brutus, thou art noble. Yet I see thy honorable mettle may be wrought from that it is disposed. Therefore it is meet that noble minds keep ever with their likes, for who so firm that cannot be seduced?” (I,ii,304-308)  Brutus is wanted so terribly by Cassius because of the fact that so many Roman people, including Caesar, trust and adore

Cassius applied this skill in his push to incorporate Brutus into his plot. Cassius identified Brutus as having the flaw of possessing an overpowering sense of obligation to abide by the will of the Roman people. Consequently, Cassius appeals to this quality of Brutus in his recitation of the praise for Brutus that has been spoken by “many of the best [respected people] in Rome” who “Have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes”(Shakespeare 1.2.61,64). Cassius is suggesting that Brutus would make a better leader than Caesar if only he could see his own merits as the Roman people do. These deceitful words are used by Cassius to bend a good natured, noble Roman to ensure that his conspiracy has an air of legitimacy as Brutus is revered by

Used publicly in scene I, rhetoric is later used in a clandestine manner to carry out the plot on Caesar. Cassius, the instigator of the conspiracy, depends on his cunning rhetorical skills to coax others and gain power among his peers. To add credibility to his murderous plot, Cassius entices Brutus knowing that he is respected by all. Endorsed by Antony, stating “This was the noblest Roman of them all” (V.V.73), Cassius preys on Brutus’ vulnerability to rhetoric to draw him into the conspiracy. “ Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, / That you would have me seek into myself / For that which is not in me?” (I.II.69–71). Further on, Cassius

Little do the characters know that Brutus is being persuaded by Cassius, who has the ability to perceive the true motives of men. For instance, Michelle Lee edits,” Other prominent characters in Julius Caesar include Cassius, whose intimate conversations with Brutus persuades him to take part in the conspiracy…” (Lee 1). What this is saying is also agreeing with the fact, Brutus is being

Brutus, the Not so Noble Roman Marcus Brutus, a high ranked and well regarded noble in Rome, participates as a conspirator to assassinate Caesar to prevent Rome from falling into a dictatorship. In result, some conspirators destroy themselves to protect Rome, while others destroy themselves for their own selfish need for power. Marcus Brutus is a noble Roman, but many of his judgments led to his, and other conspirator’s downfall making him the tragic hero in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Brutus is a man who is admired, has good intentions and wants what is best for Rome and its citizens, but his poor decisions lead to his and other conspirator’s downfall.

When Cassius forged the letters to convince Brutus to join the conspirators it was all to change his perspective about Caesar. Brutus was loyal to Caesar and was a good friend of Caesars, and when Cassius created the letters Brutus’ perspective of Caesar changed and he saw Caesar as ambitious. “So let high-sighted tyranny range on till each man drop by lottery…What other bond than secret Romans that have spoke the word and will not palter? And what other oath than honesty to honesty engaged that this shall be or we will fall for it?” (Act II, Scene I pg.20). This quote shows that once Brutus’ perspective changed he forgot about perceiving the situation. The letters made Brutus’ perspective of Caesar as being a powerful person morphing into a tyrant, and the people have “spoken” to him and he must act upon it. Brutus was impacted heavily because after he and the conspirators kill Caesar he felt bad and at the end of the play he shows feeling towards Caesar. “Caesar, now be still; I kill’d not thee with half so good a will.” (Act V, Scene V pg.79). This quote is an example of how his perception never changed but his perspective did and his perspective highly influenced him into forgetting his perception of the situation. If Brutus’ were to listen to his perception of the situation and not let his perspective be changed Caesar would’ve probably avoided being killed; Brutus would’ve knew what

Brutus had a belief that was the exact opposite of Cassius's; Brutus was a stoic, which meant that he believed that bad things don't happen to good people because the gods won't allow it. Brutus just went along with life never taking rash like Cassius did. Brutus accepted everything as it came because he thought it was the will of the gods. Because of Brutus's beliefs Cassius has to go through much effort to persuade Brutus to join the conspirators. Cassius was then forced to write fake letters so that Brutus could see a

Brutus worked hard to live by his morals because he felt a man’s character was defined by his sense of right and wrong and how he lived up to those choices. He was trusted, respected, and liked by everyone. When Cassius coerces him into the conspiracy, he is disturbed at the things he has to do in order to hide his involvement in

Cassius first shows his cunning nature when he convinces Brutus to assassinate Julius Caesar. He knows that the honorable Brutus is of crucial importance in the scheme, and therefore, Cassius pursues his involvement. Even though Brutus “loves [Caesar] well”(I. ii. 82), Cassius manages to “plant the seed of suspicion in [him]” (Mullican). Furthermore, Cassius’

Brutus’ flaws that he has as a character made it easy for Cassius to convince Brutus. Since Cassius knows Brutus will not believe him right away and join the conspiracy, he decided to write fake letters and forge other citizens names to trick Brutus into thinking that this is what the people of Rome wanted. "Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus, and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about to find outselves dishonorable graves. Men at some point are masters of their fates. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves, that we are underlings (Act 1 scene 2).” Cassius is making Brutus seem like they are Caesar's slaves when in reality they are two well respected and wealthy Senators in

The author uses the character, Cassius, to show that wanting power can corrupt a person through Cassius, as he corrupts and manipulates others around him as well. Cassius need for power made him seem a little more insane. Cassius uses fake letters from the people that will “shake him” (I.ii.322) into joining their alliance. From giving Brutus the letters, it causes an internal conflict in Brutus of what's right and what’s wrong. This shows that Cassius is willing to manipulate someone to get what they want. Cassius manipulates Brutus by making him believe the people of rome